Just rambling

I flipped through the channels a little while ago and discovered there wasn't really much on to watch on TV, aside from reruns and a few holiday-oriented movies. I thought about watching a DVD, but I don't really feel like it, so I'll probably just stay on the computer until I'm ready for bed, which shouldn't be too much longer.

I didn't really do much today. Mainly, I spent it being irritated by Vista and longing for the days of XP. Unfortunately, the hard drive on my XP computer is about to quit on me, which is why I recently switched to a new computer that has Vista on it. I suppose I'll get used to it in time. I just wish I could disable all of the unnecessary security prompts, since I'm the only one who'll ever use this computer. I could use the "guest" profile, but I like the convenience of having access to the whole computer, without switching profiles all the time.

I think I'm going to mess around with Maya and see if I can learn how to operate it. It would be nice to be able to use something other than 3D Studio Max for any future projects I might start.

well,I mainly sat around watching episodes of House that I have not seen on Surfthechannel.com and spent some quality time with a friend and my house rabbit.
I'm a Linux user,having dropped Windows 4 years ago. I do have XP on a duel boot with Cosmosis Linux,but I only go onto the Windows side,like maybe twice a year to play a game.
I just did not want to deal with all the Vista crap and all the never ending Windows crap, hence,Linux.

No time like the present to ditch Windows for life. I'm an IT engineer by profession (no I will not fix your computer) - I cannot with a clear conscience recommend Vista to anyone. XP was marginal, but tolerable. Vista, apart from being a slug, is stripping you of a lot of rights as a consumer, but WAIT there's more !, pretty much every application you use on it phones home to Redmond each time your online. I don't care what data it sends - the fact that it sends without explanation or your consent is reprehensible. On top of that, there is the potential that a "bad" phone home actually has the power to completely disable your system. Bet you didn't see that in the fine print. (Piracy ! Its to stop piracy ! is the excuse from the Microsoft eschatologists)

For non-techs - ditch it and go Mac.

For the semi-tech / I want to learn's - ditch it and go Ubuntu or Mandriva linux as a relatively painless transition. Need Windows ? Run it inside a virtual machine.

Your newsagent's computer mag section should have plenty of Linux mags with free DVD's, many of which are bootable "live" dvd's so you can run the featured operating system without physically changing anything on your machine and have a taste.

Well,I used Windows since 3.whatever...As time went on,I realized that each new version kept the same old problems..I do wonder sometimes if Microsoft and the virus companies are getting kick backs to each other cause you'd think after all THIS time Microsoft would have fixed their os..Since they don't seem willing to and since they are pushing DRM and WGA, I decided enough was enough. First time I ran Linux live,I was astounded! it was a thing of beauty. .I find Linux easier to install and use than Windows and am quite happy with it.
And you are right...Linux Mint is really an excellent OS.
Of the flavors of Linux I've tried,Mint,Cosmosis,and Mepis are my favorites.
I'm writing this using Cosmosis right now.http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/

That isn't such an absurd thought. I remebered about 15 years ago, viruses were rampent on both Mac's and what was then D.O.S. The internet wasn't even quite every where yet, and then when I had a chance to read about things on the net that many of the viruses were being released by software companies.

Now I should point out that it doesn't really take that many people to inundate the Internet with viruses. So software companies usually don't have to do much.

I am currently in the process of building my own computer. Once it's done (March?) I will be dual loading XP and Linux OS's. My tech friend spent about half an hour with Linux, and came to me wondering why he'd stuck with XP for so long. Vista is horrible, according to most of the tech community, and I associate with it as little as I can, as it is mean to me every time I use it. I'm looking forward to Window's Vienna in 2010 about, hopefully it will be the "true" upgrade from XP.